US Congress extends Afghanistan War Commission’s mandate by one year

The US Congress has extended the mandate of the Afghanistan War Commission by one year, giving the independent, bipartisan panel additional time to complete its review of the two-decade US war in Afghanistan.

The commission said in a statement that congressional leaders from relevant committees in both the House of Representatives and Senate, representing both major political parties, approved the extension under the legislation that established the panel.

The commission’s final report is now expected in August 2027, a year later than originally scheduled.

According to the commission, the additional time will allow it to conduct further research, deepen its investigation and ensure that its findings and recommendations are based on comprehensive evidence.

The panel said it will continue working with Congress and the executive branch as it completes its assessment, with the aim of ensuring that lessons from the Afghanistan war inform future US foreign and military policy.

Established by Congress in December 2021, the Afghanistan War Commission is tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the US war in Afghanistan.

Its mandate includes examining key decisions made throughout the conflict, including those preceding the US-led intervention in 2001, as well as the factors that shaped US policy and military operations over the following two decades.

The commission is also expected to identify lessons from the war and recommend measures to help the United States avoid similar failures in future military and foreign policy decisions.

The US-led military intervention in Afghanistan began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. Nearly two decades later, US and allied forces withdrew from the country in August 2021, after which the Afghan Republic collapsed and the Islamic Emirate returned to power.